Improvement in ditching-machines



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@it-.i195 dfsts get-'tnt ISAIAH M. WILLIAMS, or B'LANGHESTER, onto.

LettersPa'teat No. 4,653, dated Februar-p18, 1868.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN: Y Y

Be it known that I, ISIAH.M.WILLIAMS, of Blanchester, Clinton county, Ohio, have invented certainnewA and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification. V My invention relates to that class` of ditching-machines in which two parallel cutters, in connectio'nwi-tha lrevolving wheel, are employed for.` the purpose of cutting the trench; and the rst part of my improvement;` consistsin certain devices for' relieving said wheel of the dirt which has been excavated; the sec'ondfpart'of my invention consists in an arrangement of mechanical means whereby the operator is enabled 4to graduate the depth of the ditch with reference to the surface of the ground; the 4third part ofmyinvention relates to the excavatingand elevating-wheel, which is constructed in sucha manner that the radialispades with which itis armed can be readily detached, for the purpose of sharpening them, or` for inserting a new one, in case any of them should become brolr'en orother'wise injured. Y, A

i The remaining parts of my invention relate to minor details of construction, which will be hereafter vfully described. v In the accompanying drawings.- v l Figure 1 lis a. vertical longitudinal section of a ditching-machine embodying my improvements. Figure is a vertical axial section through the elevating-wheel and its accessories. Figure 3 is a transverse section through the machine in the rear ofthe elevating-wheel, showingthe device for discharging the dirt. .i l Figure 4 is apartially-sectionized perspective view of the lower portion of the scoop or shovel.

Arepresents the main frame of the machine,`which is supported upon the ground-wheels'a a', and this frame has attached to it the vibratory platform B, which carries the parallelcutters C and elevating-wheel D D'. vThe vibratory platform-is'coupled to the main frame in thefollowing manner): The front end of the platform has secured to' it a perforated cle'vis, Y, and-a pin, c, connects said clevis with a' perforated plate, A', which is attached to the transverse beam b ofthe mainframe. By inserting the pin c in the perforations of the clevis Y and plate A', the front end of the platform can be adjusted, to any height, or the pin can be so placed as to `lift the cutters and wheel clear of' theground whenit. is desired to move the machine without cutting a `trench. The elevating-wheel has a shaft, d, which is journalled in the vibratory platform B, and this wheel is composed oi` twodistinct sections, D D', which are held securely`together by the boltse. The wheels D D' are .provided with rims, E E', to which is attached by the 4bolts e a vseries of segmental plates, F F', which entend completely around the wheel, and the inner faces of these plates are -bevelled, in order tha'tithey may the more readily enter the ground, and also to` allow the excavated earth tube/discharged from the wheel with the least expenditure of force. The wheel D D'l is armed with 'a series of radial spades, Gr, whose bases, y, are doveteiled into suitable recesses in the rims E E'. H H', lite., are a series of curved plates, whose concevity corresponds with the peripheries of the rims E E', and they are retained in` position against said rims. during about threefourths ofthe revolution of the wheel D D. These plates are suiiiciently long to extendfroin one of the spades G to the nextone, and the width ,of them isequal to the distance between the segmental plates F F'.' 'It lt',- &c., are links by which the plates H H' are united together, and the twothue form an' endless band which extends around the-greater portion of the elevating-wheel D D', and it aleorpesses over a drum, I, which is journalled in boxes, of the standards J, that rise vertically from the vibratory platform lil.v `The boxes t' have` a vertical movement within the v-shape'd grooves jiof the` standards, and these'boxes are adj-usted so asto produce a greater or lessV degree -of slackness of the band H by'means of' the wedges K which enter slots J' of said standards. The vibratory platform B, together with its elevating-wheel D D", is elevated or depressed so as to permit of a shallow or deep ditch being cut, by the following devices: Rising verticallyfromthe main frame Aare two' etanchi'ons, L'L, `eiording support for a stout beam, M, 'through whichpasses the upper portion efe. screw, N, which engages with a nut, o, 'of the winch O, and the head, n, of this screw sustains a stirrup, P. Attached t0 the vibratory platform B are two yokes, R R',Awhich rest within `the hooked endspp'iof the stirruIrP, and it will be seen that by rotating the winch O in eitherv direction, the platform and itsaccompanyingwheel will be raised or lowered as desired, and that the ditch'will 'be gradedv accordingly. Securely bolted to the rear portion of' the platform B is'alscoopor shovel, S,.having a step, s, fonthe rcceptionot' thedetachable stcelshoe T, which shoe is attached Vto the shovel by screw Q and nut g. vBy this means a newshoe can betted on to the shovel in a few minutes, in case the one in use should be broken bycoming in contact lwith a stone or otherobstruction. Secured tothe rear end of the platformB is a tail-board, which prevents thc excavated earth from falling back into the ditch as rapidly as it is raised bythe elevating-wheel,- and the dirt is deliveredeither to the right or left-hand side of the machine, according to the position ofthe side-board V. When this board is placed in the position represcntedin iig. 3the'dirt is discharged as-shown, but should the board be changed to the place indicated by the dotted lines, the dirt will then bedeli'vered at thel opposite side oi the'machine. The

side-boardV has attached to it a bar,W,.an'd by inserting said bar in either ofthe apertures X Aor X', said boardwilllbe maintained in the' desired position.

The'operation of my machine visasv follows'. The machine' being drawn along by any suitable power, the cutters C C' enter .the ground to thedesired depth, and the lsegmental plates F F'being immediately behind said cutters, and in line therewith, follow the incisions made by said cutters. The width and depth of the ditch `having beenthus obtained, the" spades G of the elevatingwheel D D cut the earth into sections, and by the l rotation of the wheel the `spades compel the dirt toascend, andit is prevented from falling out lof the 4wheel by 4andfplate A', for the object stated.

the shovels. As soon as the rotation of the Wheel' D D" has elevated the earth toa position abouta-'s high as the shaft-or axle of4 said wheel, the plates H, owingtothe :location of the ldrinn I, assume a vertical position, and thus empty the'dirt on to the rearof the platform I3, from whichit is delivered on either side ofthelmaehi'ne in the manner described. I v I claim herein asnew, and 4of my'inventionv 1.'I claim the provision in a ditchingmachineof the endless band'H hand drum I, operating vsubstantially as herein' described, for emptying' the elevating-wheel'of the excavated earth. l l .Y

' 2..'I claim constructing the dirt-elevating wheel of a ditching-machine in two sections, IDD/,and providing them with radial spades Gr, whose bases, g, are ,dove-tailed intothe rims E E ofthe "wheel, and the whole secured together by. bolts e, substantiallyas herein described. I

3. I claim the screw N. n, winch O, nutro, strrups Ppp', and yokes RR', arranged and operating as and for the purpose specified. v

, 4.v In combination with the elevating-wheel D D', constructed as described, I 'also claim the ixed and parallel cutters CC', asandfor thepurpose specified. v A l Y *5L In'combination with the elevating-Wheel D D', endless band Hh, and drum I, I also claim the shovel S, for the object set forth. i I

6. In oombiiation with the elevating-wheel D D', endless band H t,'and drum I, I further` claimthe slotted standard J J', groove j,'box z', and wedge K, arranged and operating'substantially as and for the object explained'.

f7. In combination with the main frame A and vibratory platform B,'I`cla im'the perforated clevis Y, pin c,

In testimony of-whichinvention, I hereunto set myihand. i

. `IsAIAH M. WILLIAMS. Witnesses:

A. J. HonsoN, JOHN M.'W1trentr.V 

